God's Blessings are Indiscriminate
November 6, 2012 
           

 

             "Blessed are the poor in spirit (spiritually deficient, “zeroes”, spiritually bankrupt) 
                                                                                for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.
              Blessed are those who mourn (paralyzed by pain)
                                                                                for they will be comforted.
              Blessed are the meek, (shy, unassertive, intimidated, feel undeserving)
                                                                                for they will inherit the earth. 
              Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice (burn with desire to see things
              made right)                                               for they will be satisfied.
              Blessed are the merciful (those who are despised as unrealistic and taken
              advantage of)                                           for they will be shown mercy”
                                                                                             Matthew 5:3-7

              

Jesus began his teachings on a hillside (probably over several days) in Galilee by radically overturning all preconceptions of who it is that God Blesses.    The wisdom of day in the Greco Roman world and even in Judaism was that the “Good Life” was had by those who had money, power, prestige, comfort and position.

Jesus says that God’s “Good Life” is available to anyone.    Take note of how I expanded the meaning  of the “Blessed’s”/ “Happy are’s” based on Dallas Willard’s commentary on the Beattitudes.

What do you think, feel, like, react against as you read this stunning announcement by Jesus which overturns the “default” presumptions that so many of us have about what it means to live well?  

“Lord, please lead me to an experience of the blessed life as you define it, and if you deem it right, please do so in a way that my experience of it is disconnected from anything the “world” would substitute for what you offer.    Thank you Lord,     Amen”